The daily herald. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1886-1887, 1887-01-07
THE FLOODS.
Great Freshet at Kalihi--The Official
Interpreter Has an Adventure
Stores and Plantations Deluged =
Telephone Wires Down.

Mr. W. Luther Wilcox was mixed up
in the news so as to give the impress
sion that his extensive taro plantation
was being devastated. Our reporter at
once engaged one Of the Hawaiian
Hotel carriages and was soon speeding
up the Eva road Rain was beating
on the carriage roof and brilliant light
ming flashed up ahead over the Eva
hills So heavy had the downpour
been nearly all the previous day and
night, however, the road was for the
most part washed Of its deep mire and
the hack went along gaiy.
Reaching Nuhelewai bridge, above
the Reformatory School, palama, the
rice and taro patches on both hands
were seen to be transformed into lakes.
The water was up to the bridge para
pets and carriage length beyond the
structure was rushing in a wide torrent
several inches deep over the road.
Fortunately there is no rice planted for
the coming year in the extensive plan.
tations at that point, or they might
have more irrigation than would be for
the advantage Of the crop.
On approaching the What Cheer
House a scene Of unusual excitement
cane in view on the road crossing the
guloh just this side Of that old wayside
hostelry. There was a roar Of rushing
waters, mingled with the voices Of
many people. Lanterns flashed here
and there, the road for a hundred yards
ahead was one rushing sea, and two OF
three score Of men, women and youth
up to their thighs in water, surrounded
some object IN the road. and were ap
parently exerting themselves in som,
common and very earnest purpose. AL
this was visible In the moenligh
several rods away, but grew with tn,
approach. Now our carriage was uI
TO the hubs in the flood and the crow,
Of workers began shouting and gestic
ulaiing to the driver They we're onl
telling him 10 keep in the middle O
the road, as there was bank at tn
side, indicated only by the roll O
waters into the low land be
yond. He was driving through tn
crowd, having been engaged to 80 t
Mr.. Wiloox's place, when he descrie
that gentleman himself directing tn
workers.
Mr.. Wilcox came into the cauiag
and related particulars OF an excitiu
adventure in which he had just iigure'
When ready TO leave town last evenInI
after completing his days service
. the Supreme Court, Il was rainir
. hard, and he sent his son ahead in h
I brake, while he engaged a carriaG
!. OF the Hawaiian Stables, Lele
= to take his wife and hir
self home. When they reached Il
gulch at Kalhi, mauka OF Mr. Hong
8 iailing's place, the road was oyerho'
{ cd. Still the carriage proceeded uni
c the water came over the dashboar
y lust thea the fence on the right har
J. side OF the road came away with
Il crash, the horse. began to founder AT
y the carriage to SO ever. MIR. Wllc'
II sprang out and called on his wife
l. follow him, and as she did both we
in water TO their armpits. He got Nj
Wilcox safely to the high ground at &
= What Cheer House and then return'
d TO help the hackman. The horse hi
D. broken partly clear and was struggli
&c in the flood with only its head abo
. water With much difficulty the peoI
Is OF the neighborhood, who hocked to I
81 assistance of the derelict conveyan'
y rescued the animal from drowning.
G The catastrophe was seen coming
W Mr. Wilcox in the shape of regu
O. wall of water, with jagged crest like
q breaker on the reef, rolling swiftly do
1.-THE gulch. Young Wilcox in a bra
had passed the point in safety not m'
than two or three minutes beio
At When our reporter was at the 81
about nine o'clock, the water had 81
sided several feet. The volume of
I'D great rush may be imagined when
es- fact is stated that the three 10y
boards of the fence were carried ay
at point fifty yards from the mid
of the stream. There was such sire
the rushing down the lane running seaw
from opposite the What Cheer Ho
owl that a guiding rope had to be stretcl
rye across the road to enable the people
n'y get over in safety. The water
nae waist deep in the Chinese stores
eml houses on the lower side of the 70
rice Chinamen's patches of cane, bana
and market vegetables were subjec
'ssy' the food and must be heavily damae
o "l Two or three of the Bell Teleph
ply Companys' poles were thrown do
sell The Hawaiian Stables carriage
W. completely wrecked, both shafts be
'NS' broken and the front part all smash
-. There is a small culvert ever the gu
and altogether insufficient to carry OIL
,test water in even an ordinary fires
AT Against such a food as that OF
II ni9ht scarcely any bridge that coulC